Veteran Promoter Remembers Late Brother, Lost to Suicide, While Spreading Important Message on World Mental Health Day

The fast-moving times have seen athletes and common people alike ignoring their mental well-being. For boxing promoter Lou DiBella, this issue hits closer to home. In fact, on the occasion of World Mental Health Day on October 10, DiBella took to social media to talk about his younger brother, who took his own life almost 30 years back.

DiBella is a well-known promoter in the boxing world. Moreover, he is known for promoting notable names like George Kambosos Jr, Richard Commey, and Patrick Hyland Jr.

In a recent tweet, DiBella shared a picture of his brother and himself.

He further wrote in the captions that mental well-being is equally (if not more) important to physical health. Even stating that the two are ‘inexplicably interlinked’.

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DiBella also urged people to end all stigma revolving around mental illness and the treatment of the same. He also asked his followers to regularly check on their loved ones.

When Lou DiBella and Patrick Hyland spoke about losing loved ones

Lou DiBella was not the only person from the boxing world who lost a loved one to suicide. In fact, he connected with Irish boxer Patrick Hyland, while talking about the same. Hyland faced Gary Russell for the WBC featherweight title at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Montville, Connecticut, on April 16, 2016.

DiBella, who was promoting Hyland, had organized a press conference ahead of the fight in Lower Manhattan. This was when the conversation turned to talk about losing a loved one. Notably, Hyland had lost his father Patrick Hyland Sr. who was battling depression. Talking about the same, DiBella said, “His dad, Paddy, was a great guy, a great boxing guy. He’d been battling depression, unknown to a lot of people. He lost that battle. My brother lost that same battle.”

He further added, “When I got the news (of Hyland Sr’s death) it hit home big time, but it also I think was a bonding thing with me and him a little bit.”

DiBella also mentioned that it takes a lot of courage to address the topic.

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How important is an individual’s mental well-being? Do share your thoughts in the comments below.